Convertible chair



March 25, 1930.

I J. K. PRASSAS 1,751,599

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR 4 Filed Feb. 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 hm nw sw i la I \l E D fob K PmssaS This invention relates to a Convertible. chair adapted to be used for sitting, lounging or sleeping purposes;

It is an object of this invention to provide 5 a chair having adjustable back and foot rests,

so constructed as tobe'capable of ready and easy manipulation into any desired position.

It is a further object of this invention so I to construct a chair that'it may be'converted i into either a. lounging or sleeping chair, with novel means provided for obtaining an unusually long foot rest when in raised extend ed position.

Other and further important objects of this l invention will be apparent from the. disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings: I

. Figure 1 is atop plan view of a convertible chair embodyingthe principles of this invention. H Figure 2 is aside elevational View of the "same converted into a bed, the normal 'posi tions of the foot and back rest'being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 8 is a'fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line HI-Ill of Fig-' ure 1 with the backrest down.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line IVIV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line- V- V of. Figure 1, with parts in elevation. Fi ure 6 is a ha 1 taken on line VIVI of Figure 5. Q I

Y Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line VII- 11 of'Figure 1 with the foot rest in raised extended position.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary'sectional view taken substantially on line VIIIVIII of Figure. 1 with the foot rest in raised extended position.

Figure 9 is anv enlarged fragmentary sec-- tional view taken substantially on line IX-IX of Figure 4 with parts in elevation, and partsbroken away and in section. v

Figure 10 isan enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on 1ine,X-X of Figure 4 with parts in elevation.

gmentary sectional view JOHN K. PRASSAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS I CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Application filed February 2 8, 1927. Serial No. 171,410.

XIXI of Figure 10.

panels, 102.

elevated position.

It is thus apparent tha 1O acts to maintain the back resti 5 in normal Said back rest 5 .may,

however, be lowered by pressure applied} thereto against the tension ofthe spring 10. In order to maintain the back rest 5 in any desired position means are provided for lock ing one of the sprockets 9 against revolution,v comprising a bolt or pawl 12 adapted to engage between the teeth of said sprocket 9. Said pawl12 (Figures 5 and 6) is mounted for axial movement in apertured plates 13, said plates 13 being secured'in the sides of the hollow member 100. A spring 14 surrounding the shank of said pawl 12 and confined between the lower plate 13 and the pawl head 103, normallyholds said pawl 12 in engagement with said sprocket 9. A lever 15 pivotally mounted at one endupon a pin Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line The reference numeral'l indicates generally the supporting frame body of a chair adapted to be converted'into'a bed. Said frame portion 1, as illustrated, comprises the chair legs 2, hollow side arms 3, and seat Y portion 4 supported from said legs. While my invention has been illustrated in connection with a wooden arm chair, it will be understoodthat my invention-is equally ap-j;

plicable to other types of chairs, such as upholsteredchairsand the like.

A, back rest 5 is pivotally connected at its lower end, asat 6, to the rear chair legs2, so as to permit said back rest'to be swung from normal vertical'position represented by dotted lines in Figure 2 to horizontal or any intermediate position. Means for raising .and lowering said back rest 5 includeapair" of chains 7 each suitably secured by means of an eye-bolt 8 to said back rest 5 at a point intermediate its ends and trained over a sprocket 9 positioned in a hollow metal mem her 100 secured in the recessed top of eachrearleg 25 A helical spring 10 connects the other end ofeach of said chains 7 to an eyebolt 11 secured in the seat portion 4, both the chains 7 and springs 10 lying within the hol- -low portion 101 between the side arm t the helical spring 16 is secured intermediate its ends as at 17 to the lower end of said pawl 12, for actuation thereof. To the other end of said lever there is secured a vertical link 18. Said link 18 is connected at its other end to one arm of a bell crank lever 19 pivoted as at 20, within the hollow portion 101 of the side panels 102. A second link 21 extends horizontally through said hollow side panels and is connected to one arm of a second bell crank lever 22. Said bell crank lever 22 is pivoted as at 23 near the forward end of the seat portion 4. A vertical rod 24 is connect-- ed to the otherarm of said bell crank lever 22 and extends upwardly through a chair arm 3, terminating in a knob 25 disposed within a recess 26 in said chair arm 3. It will be apparent that when the rod 24 is depressed by pressing against the knob 25, the bell crank lever 22 will be rocked, thus moving the link 21 forwardly to rock the bell crank lever 19 and depress the lever 17. The pawl 12 is thus disengaged from the sprocket 9 and the. springs 10 free to raise the back rest 5. It should be noted that the mecnanism for releasing the back rest 5, as just described, is completely concealed within the frame of the chair, and that the knob 25 is readily accessible to one sitting or reclining in the chair. 7 i

A two piece foldable foot rest, designated as a whole by the numeral 27, is secured to the front legs 2 of the chair, (Figures 7 and 8) and is provided with suitable mechanism for raising and lowering the same. Said foot rest 27 comprises a tread member 28 supported'at each end by aside member or lever 29 having lower flanges 30 to which said tread member 28 is secured, as by means of screws 31. Each of said side members or lever-s29 is pivoted at its rear end to a plate 32, by means of a pivot pin 33. Said plates 32 are rigidly secured to the inner faces of the frontlegs 2. A second tread member 34 forms an extension to the member 28 to provide amaximum length of foot rest. Said member 34 is secured at each end to side members or levers 35 by means of screws 36, passing through flanges 37 formed on said members or levers. The rear end of each of said members or levers 35 is pivoted-by means of a pin 38 to the forward end of one of the members or levers 29. A pair of levers 40 is pivoted both to the plate 32 as at 41 and to a downwardly extending offset extension 42 formed on the side membersor levers 35 as 35 about the pivot pins 38. As best shown 29 and 35 lie substantially in the same horizontal line, whereas when said foot rest 27 is lowered, the side members or levers 29 lie in vertical position and the side members or levers 35 in horizontal position under the chair seat pointing rearwardly. It is thus apparent that the foot rest 27 may be of greater length when extended than the vertical distance between the fioor and the pivotal points 33.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the foot rest 27 will now be described. Said mechanism includes a horizontally disposed bar 44 (Figures 8 to 11 inclusive) adapted to be moved in and out over a supporting roller 45 mounted transversely between side bars 70. The forward end of said bar 44 is pivotally connected to a link 46 as at 47. Said link 46 is secured by means of a plate 48 to the under side of the foot rest member 28. A. vertically dependent pin 49 extends downwardly from the rear end of said bar 44 and is connected at its lower end to one end of a. helical spring 50 the other end of said spring 50 being secured to a front panel 104 of the frame 1. The tension of spring 50 accordingly tends at al times to hold the foot rest 27 in raised extended position. A plurality of locking means are provided to secure the foot rest in either raised or lowered position. For this purpose, the bar 44 is provided at spaced distances along its length with slots '51 (Figure 9) and 52 (Figure 10) arranged in tandem.

In said slot 51 there is mounted a cam 53 upon a pivot pin 54. Said cam' 53 is'provided with a triangular shaped upper portion 55 extending above the upper face of the bar 44, andadapted to engage a transverse bar 56 during movementof the bar 44.

In order to maintain the cam53 in an upright position, apair of springs 57 is secured to the end walls of the recesses 51 and to each side of the cam 53. The cam 53 is further provided with a recess 58 in which there is positioned a movable tongue 59. The tongue 59 is held inthe recess 58 against a pair of springs 60 by means of a pin 61 passthrough an elongated slot 62 in said tongue 59. The tongue 59 is accordingly capable of limited movement in the recess 58. The lower face of said tongue 59 is provided with an abrupt shoulder 63 adapted normally to engage a shoulder 64 formed in said bar 44. The engagement of said shoulders 63 and 64 accordingly prevents the cam 53 from rotating in counter clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 9 to allow the point 55 to pass under the transverse bar 56. A lever 65, however, pivoted as at 66 is associated with said cam 53 to bear against thetongue 59 in such a way as to effect upward movement of the tongue 59 when suitablyactuated.

The mechanism for so actuating the lever includes a cam67 (Figure 8) rigidlyseloll cured to a horizontal rod 68 rotatably mountly secured to the offset end 106 of a rod 73 (Figure 8)- extending vertically within the recess 101 and terminating in a knob 74 (Figure 4) Depression of the knob 74 and rod 7 3 rocks the cam 6. against the lever65, thereby causing said lever to elevate the tongue 59 out of engagement with the shoulder 64 (Figure 9). As soon as this is done the spring 50-forces the bar 4% outwardly, thereby raising the foot rest 47. a

Vfhen the bar 44 is in its outward position, a second cam 75 (Figure 10) positioned within the recess 52 engages the transverse bar 56 on the other side thereof to prevent rearward movement of the bar A l due to weight placed upon the foot rest 27. Said cam 75 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 76, springs 77 tending to hold said cam in upright position. In the lower arcuate face of the cam '7 5 there is formed a lug 7 8, having an abrupt shoulder 79 adapted to engage with one end of a lever 80. aid lever 80 is pivoted as at 8-1 intermediate its ends, a curved sprin 82 normally bearing against the rear end thereof to main-' tain the front end of said lever in engagement with the shoulder 7 9. In order to disengage said lever end from the shoulder 79 when the foot rest is in raised extended position, it is only necessary to depress the knob 7 4. to rock the cam 67 against a'cam surface 107 formed on the rear end of said lever 80. The foot rest 27 may then be lowered by weight placed thereon, as for instance the weight of ones feet, when one is lying or seated in the chair.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a chair that may be easily converted into position for reclining or sleeping. It should be as by leaning backward, and further that the back rest is brought again into normal posi tion by the tension of the springs 10 upon a second release of the pawl 12. Ina similar way depression of the knob 74 permits the spring 50 to throw the foot rest 27 into raised extended position, from which it may be lowered again upon a second depression of the knob 74 by the weight of ones feet. The novel lever arrangement connecting the two tread members of the foot rest to thechair frame permits said rest to be considerably longer than the usual type of foot rest and thus makes it possible to convert the chair into a full length bed or couch whenboth the back rest and foot rest are in horizontal position.

a extending said foot rest. noted that upon manual depression of the knob 25 to release the pawl 2, the back rest 5 is easily lowered'byone sitting in the chair,"

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details .of construction may be varied through a Wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwisethan necessitated by the prior art. I claim as my invention:

1. A convertible chair includinga' frame,- a foldable foot rest pivoted to said frame, .a-

bar slidably supported-on said frame and connected at one end to said foot rest, a

spring having one end connected to the other end of saidbar and its other'end connected to said frame to normally urge said bar out-v wardly to raise said rest, locking means carried by said bar for locking said bar in outward and inward position, and means on said chair for releasing said lock to allow movement of said rest as desired.

2. A convertible chair including a frame,

a two part foot rest, one of said partsbeing pivoted to said frame, a bar slidably supportedby said frame" and connected at one end to one part of said foot rest, .the otherpart of said foot rest being pivoted to said first-named part, a lever connected at one end to said frame and at'the other end to said other rest part below the pivotal connection of said two parts for moving the same about the pivotal connection with said first part as said first partis swung'about its pivotal connection with said frame:

3. Afchair having an extensible foot rest thereon, said rest comprising two sections pivotally' connected together, one section pivoted to said chair'and arranged to swing between horizontal and vertical positions, levers pivoted at one end to said chair above thepivotal connection of said one section and at the other end pivoted to said other section below and forwardly of the pivotalconnection between said two rest sections, and means connected to said firstv mentioned section for V 4. A chair having an extensible footjrest thereon, said rest comprising two sections pivotally connected together, one section pivoted tosaidchair and arranged to swing between horizontal and vertical; positions,

levers pivoted atone end to said chair above the pivotal connection of saidone section and,

,- levers pivoted at one end to said chair'above i the pivotal connection of said one section and at the other end pivoted to said other section below and forwardly of the pivotal connection between said two rest sections, means connected to-said first mentioned section for extending said foot rest, and means for looking said sections in extended and retracted positions, said locking means including oscillating cams carried by said extending means, springs arranged to maintain said cams in position to lock, shoulders for preventing movement of said cams when in look ing position, and means for disengaging said cams from said shoulders to unlock.

6. A chair having an extensible foot rest thereon, said rest comprising two sections pivotally connected together, one section being pivoted to said chair and arranged to swing between horizontal and vertical positions, alever pivoted at one end to said chair above the pivotal connection of said one section and at the other end pivoted to said other section of said foot rest below and forwardly of the pivotal connection between. said two sections, a bar pivoted to said first mentioned section for moving said rest into extended position, a spring connected to said bar to move the same in a direction to extend said rest, locks carried by said'bar for looking it in outward and inward position, and means for controlling said locks to allow movement of said bar.

7 A chair having an extensible foot rest thereon, said rest comprising two sections pivotally connected together, one section beingpivoted to said chair and arranged to swing between horizontal and vertical positions, a lever pivoted at one end to said chair above the pivotal connect-ion of said one section and at the other end pivoted to said other section of said foot rest below and forwardly of the pivotal connection between said two sections, a bar pivoted to said first mentioned section for moving said rest into extended position, a spring connected to said bar to move the same in a direction to extend said rest, locks carried by said bar for lock- .mg it in outward and mward positlon, and

means for controlling said locks to allow movement of said bar, said means including a rock shaft, an arm on said shaft disposed to disengage a lock, and a lever in the chair structure for rocking said shaft.

8. A convertible chair-comprising aframe, an extensible foot rest having a part thereof hinged to said frame, a horizontally movable bar in said frame connected to said foot rest,

means for releasing saidlocking means comprising concealed levers in said frame terminating in a readily accessible knob.

9. A convertible chair including a frame, an extensible foot rest thereon, the said rest comprising two sections pivotally connected together, one of the sections being pivoted to the said chair and being arranged to swing between a horizontal and a downwardly directed vertical position, means arranged to swing the other section from a position normal to the first-mentioned section to a position in horizontal alinement therewith as the first-mentioned section is swung from the vertical to the horizontal positions, the said means comprising a member pivoted at one end to the said chair above the pivotal connection of the first-mentioned section on the chair and at the otherend pivoted to the other section below and forwardly of the pivotal connection between the two sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

JOHN K. PRASSAS. 

